Burning Bridges
by The Loser Lord
Summary: 'Mako, in case you haven't noticed, the world does not revolve around you! People are getting their bending taken away and the balance of the world is at stake here and you want to give me an ultimatum? How dare you.' –107 centric, Makorra!Friendship
1. legacy

**Notes**: I was really mad during this scene in episode 7; I would have titled this "Mako-the-Jerkbender" because he acted like a jerk, buuuuttt I called it "Burning Bridges". I like writing fics on friendship!Makorra. This is one of 2 parts.

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**Burning Bridges  
**by kirei na yukki

Mako was angry. He was furious with Korra for doing this to Asami.

They were all fine just the other day, enjoying each other's company in the Sato estate, and today, Councilman Tenzin, Chief Beifong, and her metalbending cops were invading Future Industries, searching for proof that he knew Korra didn't have.

Why would she do this to Hiroshi? To Asami? To him?

He wanted nothing more than to grab her by the shoulders and give her a good shaking, but he knew she wouldn't just stand there and take it. Mako found Korra's assertiveness infuriating.

"C'mon Naga, let's check over here," he heard the Avatar say to her best friend. His amber eyes narrowed dangerously as Korra earnestly searched for proof to persecute the kindest people he had known.

Was she that jealous of his relationship with Asami that she felt the need to accuse Hiroshi of such absurdities? Mako's anger bubbled to the surface and when Korra unsuccessfully finished her search, he had decided to act.

"Why is she doing this?" Asami asked her boyfriend angrily. Mako shrugged and wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's shoulder, squeezing for comfort.

"I don't know, but she's going to stop this." he answered back venomously.

When Korra met with Tenzin and Lin in the middle of the factory, Mako approached her; he silently motioned for her to follow him. Asami remained rooted in front of Lin; the two glared sharply at each other but said nothing else.

When the firebender and Avatar were out of earshot, Mako rounded on Korra.

"So? I hope you're convinced now," he said shortly. Korra could tell that this conversation wasn't going to end well and immediately stood up straight. She didn't like his accusing tone and was not going to allow him to talk down to her like that.

"No, I'm not!" she responded hotly, "I don't care how cooperative Hiroshi is being, I know he's lying."

"Why are you doing this? Are you that jealous of me and Asami?"

Korra gasped at his accusation, shocked that he would even bring up such a matter at this time. She couldn't deny that she wasn't jealous of their budding relationship, but to allow such an unpleasant emotion to dictate her actions as the Avatar was ridiculous.

Mako was absurd.

"What?" she burst, "Don't be ridiculous! That has nothing to do with this!"

When Mako realized that she wasn't going to back down, he stood up taller, towering over Korra's smaller stature. He scowled at her. He had had enough of Korra just doing what she wanted without considering people's feelings. She was hurting Asami, and he wasn't going to stand for it.

"If you don't drop this," he threatened dangerously, "consider our friendship over."

Korra's face drew a blank and her heart had slowed a few beats.

Was he really willing to end their friendship because she was trying to protect the city. Inwardly, the Avatar let out a bitter smile. Her azure eyes shut briefly and Mako waited on her response; he remained looming over Korra.

He was serious about this. She had really gone too far.

"I'm sorry," Korra began, "But Hiroshi is not the man you think he is."

And the more she thought about this unfair ultimatum, the angrier she became. Korra was not going to let Mako get away from her without a few scratches and bruises; she wasn't going to hit him, no, but she certainly was going to slap his ego back down to where it should be.

"Mako." she said.

When the 18-year-old silently acknowledged her, she pressed herself against him, now furious with how this all had turned out.

"Spirits, you're so stupid!" she said, shoving him away from her. When Mako plummeted to the ground, Asami was there in an instant, helping her stunned boyfriend onto his feet.

Asami opened her mouth to scold the Avatar, but Korra swiftly cut her off, her blue eyes blazed with fury.

"Do you really think I'm going through all of this because I'm jealous?" she burst, "Mako, in case you haven't noticed, the world does not revolve around you! People are getting their bending taken away and the balance of the world is at stake here and you want to give me an ultimatum? How dare you!"

Her voice rose a few octaves higher when she said 'an ultimatum', as if it were an insult (which it really was). Lin and Tenzin appeared behind Korra's trembling form and placed a hand on her shoulders. They were shaking from the rage that she felt.

"I'm the Avatar, and that takes higher priority than anything else in my life, including my feelings. If I believe Hiroshi Sato is supporting the Equalists, then regardless of how I feel about him as our sponsor and Asami's father, I have to see if it's true or not! Because if I don't and he is one, many more lives are going to be in danger! And I am not going to turn my back on the world to keep any friendship."

She turned away from him and Asami, both shocked into a stunned-induced silence.

The young Avatar looked over her shoulder, directly at Mako and he could see tiniest hint of sadness buried beneath her angered azure gaze.

"I thought, you know, as my _friend_, you'd understand that. Guess not." Korra laughed bitterly; she grinned at Mako one more time before turning away from him, "Goodbye, Mako."

She whistled for Naga and, once mounted, rode off into the deeper parts of the factory to resume her search.

Lin and Tenzin frowned at Asami and Mako with disapproval. They could not believe that these were Korra's "friends".

'_She certainly knows how to pick them_,' Lin thought sarcastically.

"My mother," Lin said lowly, wanting to concisely reiterate what had rushed out of Korra's mouth like a stream, "was friends with the previous Avatar, Aang. As was Tenzin's mother and Uncle. And I was beginning to think you kids could live up to their legacy, but apparently I was wrong."

"My parents," Tenzin continued, "Sokka of the Water Tribe, Toph Beifong and Fire Lord Zuko all amounted to greater things than they had imagined because their friendship was strong enough to withstand any obstacle. Korra's title as the Avatar is so much more than being able to bend the four elements. You need to understand that."

The Airbending master and Chief of Police left Mako and Asami to also resume their search. Asami tightly held onto her boyfriend's hand, trying to comfort him.

"It will be okay, Mako."

Would it be? Mako had no idea. The fact that Korra was more than willing to burn any bridge she had constructed left an indescribable and unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Was it sadness? Guilt? Who knew?

'_Exactly what was the job of the Avatar if it wasn't just bending four elements at once_?' Mako thought to himself. He watched as his now former friend galloped around the factory, her Polar Bear Dog sniffing at various crates and packages.

'_I guess I'll never know_,' he concluded, '_Well played Mako, well played_."

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**Notes**: I'm gonna need someone like Lin, Tenzin, Katara, or Zuko to tell these new kids how the Avatar rolls. Because fighting Equalists on her own isn't acceptable. At all.


	2. repercussions

**Notes:** I lied. This is 3 parts. Welcome to part 2.

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**Burning Bridges  
**by: kirei na yukki

_"Korra's title as the Avatar is so much more than being able to bend the four elements. You need to understand that."_

The conversation that had taken place that afternoon rang through Mako's head for the rest of the day. What was the Avatar's purpose in this world?

Mako remembered his mother and father excitedly telling him stories of Avatar Aang and his friends, who heroically put an end to the legendary 100 Year War. Was Korra destined for the same greatness?Who would be by her side as she faced her responsibilities? Surely, Tenzin and Lin won't be around forever to support her…

…would Korra be _alone_?

Was it even possible for someone to maintain a birth-given duty to the world _alone_? Without anybody to ground her and comfort her?

The thought itself was unfathomable to the firebender as he sat between his brother and girlfriend back at the Sato Estate that evening. Mako's mind remained wrapped around the Avatar.

How could Korra have cut off their friendship so swiftly? Just like that? Though Mako didn't want to admit to it out loud, that fact alone hurt his feelings a bit.

He was certain that she would at least listen to _him_.

The fact that Korra was personally going out of her way to persecute Hiroshi Sato did not sit well with Mako. He knew that she wasn't acting out of jealousy…but her actions were hurting his _girlfriend._

Perhaps he should have worded his concerns more delicately to Korra because Mako was now more than certain that he had hurt his former friend in return.

He couldn't ignore the grimy sadness that had shone through the angered expression she donned when she had knocked him down to the ground and again as she bid him farewell.

"_Goodbye Mako_," Korra said to him. Mako couldn't understand the constricting sensation he had been experiencing; as if he needed another unnamed emotion to identify within himself…

But despite all the utter confusion brought onto him from the Sato investigation, Mako had felt a need to fiercely protect Asami from everything. Regardless of the consequences…

So, when Lin Beifong's metalbender cops unceremoniously burst through the double doors of the Sato Estate, Mako came close to lightning bending them all to the other side of town. Every bolt released from his fingertips would hit each metalbender so hard, their ancestors would feel the jolt.

It had been hours since Councilman Tenzin, Chief Beifong, and the _Avatar_ - by now, her name was mind-numbing to him - searched every nook and cranny of Future Industries. He grimaced at the metalbender cops.

_'Did they not learn how to give up?'_ He thought exasperatedly; Hiroshi had been berated enough! This was getting ridiculous and he was very close to telling them all off.

"We have reason to believe there's a factory hidden below the mansion." Chief Beifong had explained without any sign of regret.

Asami had been _furious_ with the intrusion, her green eyes hardened at the sight of Beifong.

"I think I would have noticed if there were a factory under my house," she responded angrily, "The lies you people come up with just to persecute my father…"

"Where is your father?" Tenzin asked.

"In his workshop, behind his house."

Korra stood behind Lin and Tenzin quietly, her blue eyes downcast. She felt terrible about this entire thing, but she knew that this was absolutely necessary. Even if it terminated one of the very first friendships she had made in Republic City.

She had been more sorrowful than angry with Mako for refusing to believe her like he did.

But now that there was proof of Asami's father being an Equalist, Korra felt that she wouldn't be seeing much of Mako or Bolin after this. She suspected Mako to blame her again for hurting Asami and that he would hate her for it.

Korra's stomach dropped at the thought.

"Selfless duty calls you to sacrifice your own spiritual needs and do whatever it takes to protect the world."

Korra remembered Katara telling her that as a younger adolescent; they were the very words Avatar Yangchen had offered Aang 70 years ago…

…and it was almost sickening to Korra how fitting the advice was to her current situation.

She did not feel any better when she was proven right and Lin uncovered Hiroshi Sato's secret tunnel.

Korra cast one apologetic glance in Mako's direction before disappearing into the darkness.

'_You're an idiot, Mako_' he thought to himself when Korra disappeared from view. How many times would she have to prove herself in order for him to understand that she isn't the bad guy? Mako wished for the floor to swallow him whole because the guilt itself wasn't doing an effective job.

Mako thought nothing could make him feel worse about himself…

…until it was verified that Hiroshi Sato was indeed an Equalist, that Korra was absolutely correct in her suspicions, and that Mako was the worst.

When he spotted the all-powerful Avatar unconscious in the middle of Hiroshi's hidden factory, something raw and fierce had erupted in his chest. It was something more potent than the gut-wrenching guilt and shame he felt…

He did not quite understand the sensation, but he knew better to ignore it.

Mako had acted on instinct and, with Bolin, had grabbed Tenzin, Lin, and Korra. Together, with the help of Asami, they all had luckily escaped from the Sato Estate and were now overlooking Republic City's coastline.

Mako's amber gaze locked on Korra's back. He could see her profile from where he stood; Korra remained motionless as she forlornly stared out the window, her blue eyes scanning the bright skyline.

He swallowed thickly, knowing what he owed to the Avatar.

To the world's protector.

To his _friend_.

To Korra.

He approached her wordlessly; Mako noticed how Korra turned slightly in his direction but did not bother to acknowledge his presence. He knew that she was listening.

He spoke up.

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you," he said, "but Asami's dad being an Equalist is not an easy thing to believe. Even now."

Mako had half-expected Korra to yell at him, to do _something _rash and violent and completely Korra-like, but instead, she turned away from him.

Not once did her eyes meet his.

"I know," Korra replied, "I'm sorry this whole thing happened."

The two stood quietly for a few moments, exchanging and accepting their silent apologies. Mako shifted his weight onto his other foot before asking Korra if her offer to live at the Air Temple with her and Tenzin's family still stood.

He wouldn't be surprised if she said no.

Korra turned to him again and smiled brightly. Mako's breath got caught in his throat when he realized that she wasn't angry at all with him and that she fully accepted his friendship once more.

"Of course it does, and Asami's welcome too."

When the Avatar redirected him to comfort his distraught girlfriend, Mako could clearly see the change in Korra's demeanor. And as he held Asami tightly, Mako looked back at Korra's figure. She remained rooted in front of the window, deeply engrossed in her thoughts.

Mako couldn't help but notice how incredibly lonely she appeared.

And he couldn't help but to be frustrated because he didn't know what to do about it.

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**Notes: **This was a little slow…WHO IS EXCITED FOR EPISODE 8 THIS SATURDAY? Word on the street is that it's a _doozy_ (but what episode isn't?)


End file.
